Swimming-shoe



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEG JOHN AUDLEY COUPER, OF MARIETTA, GEORGIA.

SWIMMING-SHOE.

SPECIFICATION fer-ming part of Letters Patent No. 320,762, dated June 23, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. COUPEE, of Marietta, Cobb county, Georgia, have invented a new and Improved SwixnlningShoe, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. V

The object of iny invention is to provide a new and improved shoe to be attached to the foot to assist a person in swimming.

The invention consists in the combination, with a foot-plate, of wings pivoted on the nnder side of the same and of straps for holding the plate on the foot.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side view cf my improved swimming-shoe. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, the wings being separated. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same, the wings being swung together; and Figli is a rear viewof the shoe, the Wings being detached.

The foot-plate A is provided with the front strap, B, the heel-strap O, and heel-plate D, in the same manner as a roller-skate, and from the bottom of the foot-plate two or more apertured lugs, E, project, through which a rod or shaft, F, is passed, on which two Wings, G, are hung by metal or leather loops H. The upper edges of the wings G are beveled, as

shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so as to adapt them to swing together.

A spring-catch, J, is secured on the rear end of the rod F, and engages with the rear lug E, and thus locks the rod in place.

The foot-plate is held on the bare foot by means of the straps C D.

Vhen the person strikes ont, the wings G are swung from each other andoifer much resistance, and when the foot is pulled forward the wings swing together, as shown in Fig. 3, and oi'ler very little resistance.

Then the person wishes to walk on land, the spring-catch J is disengaged from the lug E, and the rod F is pulled out to release the w1ngs.

The wings may be made of wood,sheet metal, or other material.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secu re by Letters Patent- The combination, with a foot-plate, of apertured lugs projecting from the bottom of the same, a shalt or rod held on the lugs, wings hung on the rod, and a spring-catch for locking the rod in place in the lugs, substantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN AUDLEY COUPER.

Vitnesses:

GEO. WV. CLELAND, JNO. C. F. STUBINGER. 

